[AgentC]

My ST is burning a lot of oil and would be grateful for opinions. here is a video:

Car went to the dealer for another problem (now fixed hopefully) and it was found during a health check that it was down 2.5 litres of oil in the 2000 miles the car had done.

The car used another 0.5 litres in <400 miles after it was filled back up and am now in the middle of another 500 mile test.

The dealer hasn't been great and don't seem concerned at all about this. They assured me there are no oil leaks and that's about it.

Thanks.

 

[McRib 1s Back]

While that feels high, tell us about your driving conditions. How did you log the miles? Are you certain you had a good baseline?

Your video didn't show anything scary. Was that a cold start? Condensation and water vapor are completely normal (though I wouldn't rev a cold motor so much).

Even some of the the enthusiast rags commented that many manufacturers allow for what seems scary-high levels of consumption -- especially during break-in.

We're all watching this since the USDM model is new to us. Thanks and keep the information coming.

 

[peoples1234]

Any visible amount of blue smoke is too much. I'd be in contact with corporate if you are not getting resolution from your dealer.

How many total miles do you have?

The last thing Ford wants is a video like that going around.

 

[AgentC]

The engine was warm McRib. About 15-20 minutes cool down after a 60 mile run. If you watch the video in full screen HD there is blue smoke and I only revved the car to 4000rpm. The dealer did it much more harshly!

There is nothing in my manual about acceptable oil usage just that "normal" consumption will be reached by 3000 miles.

The manual of the new EcoSport Fiesta based SUV does state that the maximum acceptable oil consumption in the first 5000km/3100mi break-in period is 1 litre though. My car has consumed 3+ litres in 2400 miles.

@peoples1234 I am in touch with Ford themselves here in the UK and they will be calling me tomorrow for a update.

 

[McRib 1s Back]

The engine was warm McRib. About 15-20 minutes cool down after a 60 mile run. If you watch the video in full screen HD there is blue smoke and I only revved the car to 4000rpm. The dealer did it much more harshly!

There is nothing in my manual about acceptable oil usage just that "normal" consumption will be reached by 3000 miles.

The manual of the new EcoSport Fiesta based SUV does state that the maximum acceptable oil consumption in the first 5000km/3100mi break-in period is 1 litre though. My car has consumed 3+ litres in 2400 miles.

@peoples1234 I am in touch with Ford themselves here in the UK and they will be calling me tomorrow for a update.

Got it, thanks -- I watched the video on my iPad. There are always examples like this (my BMW, VW, and Nissan forums come to mind). I know it doesn't make you feel good, but we're not seeing a lot of this yet.

Please keep us posted. I'm going to go check my oil level now!

 

[reddog99]

Hope you get satisfaction. Auto manufacturers typically allow themselves a LOT of oil consumption and still call it "normal". But seeing blue smoke like that on a new vehicle is disturbing, no matter what they say. I'd say offhand that 99% of the new cars don't use any oil at all.

 

[AgentC]

Will do McRib. Just a bit of advice about checking the oil on this car...the dipstick is really finicky and even the technician at the dealer had to get a second opinion of how much oil had been used because the dipstick shows oil above the max mark as it catches the side of the tube.

The "threads" on the dipstick should show a lighter/no covering of oil on them if its used any.

 

[McRib 1s Back]

Will do McRib. Just a bit of advice about checking the oil on this car...the dipstick is really finicky and even the technician at the dealer had to get a second opinion of how much oil had been used because the dipstick shows oil above the max mark as it catches the side of the tube.

The "threads" on the dipstick should show a lighter/no covering of oil on them if its used any.

Oh man, that's a peeve of mine. Complicated routing and new/light oil make it tough. My brand of OCD requires multiple readings, too!

Still, I prefer it to electronic systems -- that I never completely trust (my SLK 55 had a weird system for that).

 

[audiphile]

or in a new BMW, you get no dipstick at all.. plus you have to run the engine for it to analyze the oil level. how stupid is that?

Regarding this oil consumption, it's warranty time. no way that's normal

 

[McRib 1s Back]

Okay, I just checked the oil for the first time (only about 250 miles on the clock). It's still at the max line, and not so bad a system. It's one of the better setups I've had in a while, actually!

Re: silly systems, I think the manufacturers figured we don't need to get in there for that kind of thing! I didn't know that the new Bimmers had no dipstick at all! Goodness.

 

[Sekred]

Hi
I notice you also video the ground under the exhaust, is that oil on the ground? You also mention you can smell oil burning it in the exhaust. Not normal of course.
Your oil consumption is way too high.
Sounds to me without actually looking at the problem in person that it maybe Turbo related. The shaft in the Turbo has a seal on both the compressor side and turbine side to stop oil either entering the air intake or directly into the exhaust. In both cases the engine will obviously use oil.
If its entering through the intake side, the oil with burn directly in the combustion chamber. If its entering through the exhaust side, it will burn directly in the exhaust itself, when the exhaust is hot enough to burn the oil. When the exhaust temp is low the oil will collected in the exhaust without burning and cause the exhaust out let tips to appear wet. Once the exhaust heats up particularly if engine is worked hard under boost, you should see a sudden increase in exhaust smoke.

Of course, I maybe wrong and its piston ring related. Try removing a spark plug and check for evidence of oil burning in the combustion camber.

 

[audiphile]

Another way to see if it's indeed the turbo is to take a hose off the intercooler and see if you get a bunch of oil drain out - that would definitely be a defective turbo seal.... If the intercooler is bone dry, then it's engine damage.

 

[Sekred]

Another way to see if it's indeed the turbo is to take a hose off the intercooler and see if you get a bunch of oil drain out - that would definitely be a defective turbo seal.... If the intercooler is bone dry, then it's engine damage.

Good point, take the hose off the hot side of the intercooler and check for oil, should be plenty if the seals leaking on that side of the turbo.

 

[McRib 1s Back]

Great points on the turbo (seals) vs. engine (piston ring) for the oil consumption! Your collective advice is easy to follow, too.

AgentC, maybe just get the Ford shop to do this while the procedure is watched by all interested parties? That would be an instant indicator and not create any weirdness around the owner causing the issue. I can't imagine them balking at this, given the claim.

 

[AgentC]

Thanks for all the advice. Duly noted.

I have talked to the Ford Customer service rep today and after updating about the car and the dealer, he wasn't impressed with the dealer.

I haven't mentioned here all the stuff the dealer has done/not done and Ford are going to ring me again on Friday when he's had a word with the service manager.

After telling him they topped up another 0.5 litres of oil and sent me away for another 500 miles he was taken a back.

Just have to wait till Friday now.

I notice you also video the ground under the exhaust, is that oil on the ground?

No, just patches of wet after it rained.

 

[pelotonracer2]

Thanks for all the advice. Duly noted.

I have talked to the Ford Customer service rep today and after updating about the car and the dealer, he wasn't impressed with the dealer.

I haven't mentioned here all the stuff the dealer has done/not done and Ford are going to ring me again on Friday when he's had a word with the service manager.

After telling him they topped up another 0.5 litres of oil and sent me away for another 500 miles he was taken a back.

Just have to wait till Friday now.



No, just patches of wet after it rained.

Yeah, that kind of oil consumption is NOT the norm, regardless.

 

[wash]

I would ask for a compression check before you drive it more. That will tell you if its rings.

Since you don't have other symptoms, I'm guessing the oil seal on the turbine side of the turbo is leaking. If it was the compressor side, the oil contamination would reduce the fuel octane and it would probably knock or retard timing and decrease boost. They would probably see that in a global spark adder figure with their OBD-2 scanner.

I don't know what could motivate a dealer to try and ignore such an obvious issue, oil burning at that rate does not just go away.

 

[AgentC]

I'm really worried that I've done more damage driving it for 600+ miles since I was told about this, but it was almost accidental I was even told about it.

Only because the service guy dealing with my car walked off into a back room and left handing over my keys to a colleague who just happened to read the technicians report out to me did I find out. She was the only person that as shown any shock at the amount of oil used too....

 

[McRib 1s Back]

Weirder yet, why would this Ford dealer walk away from the work and money associated with a warranty claim?! My first Audi, a 99.5 A4 1.8t, was the opposite -- I couldn't stop them from wanting to replace every tiny little thing! It was a serious part of that dealer's revenue stream!

Your rep needs to work harder for you. Get a clear escalation path with time commitments. You've been very patient and this goes beyond any definition of being reasonable!

 

[pelotonracer2]

I would ask for a compression check before you drive it more. That will tell you if its rings.

Since you don't have other symptoms, I'm guessing the oil seal on the turbine side of the turbo is leaking. If it was the compressor side, the oil contamination would reduce the fuel octane and it would probably knock or retard timing and decrease boost. They would probably see that in a global spark adder figure with their OBD-2 scanner.

I don't know what could motivate a dealer to try and ignore such an obvious issue, oil burning at that rate does not just go away.

Incompetence? lol